Lemongrass Chicken
Fresh lemongrass and fish sauce turn a simple chicken thigh into something a lot more interesting than your usual weeknight dinner. It’s a short marinade, but a properly flavourful one.
Searing the chicken smooth side down and leaving it alone is what builds that deep golden crust, don’t rush it by moving it around too early. Quick pickled carrot and cucumber on the side cuts through the richness, kept light rather than heavily sour.
Serves two, and it comes together faster than most takeout, with a lot more freshness on the plate.
Lemongrass Chicken
LEMONGRASS CHICKEN · CHICKEN · RESTAURANT · MEDIUM
A short marinade with a big payoff
Fresh lemongrass and grated garlic bring a fragrance that dried or jarred versions just can't match, and it doesn't need hours to work its way into the chicken.
Leaving the chicken undisturbed while it sears is what gets you that deep, almost caramelised crust. It's a small bit of patience for a big difference in the final result.
The quick pickle only needs 10-15 minutes but still brings enough brightness to balance the richness of the chicken, no need to plan ahead for it.
Lemongrass Chicken
Ingredients
Chicken
- 4 Chicken Thighs Boneless
- 15 ml Fish Sauce
- 5 g Brown Sugar
- 15 ml Neutral Oil
- 1 Stalk Lemongrass Finely Minced
- 3 Garlic Cloves Grated
Rice
- 150 g Jasmine Rice Washed
- 325 ml Cold Water
- Salt To Taste
Quick Pickled Carrot & Cucumber
- 1 Carrot Julienned
- 1 Cucumber Julienned
- 30 ml Rice Vinegar
- 5 g White Sugar
- 2.5 g Salt
Serving
- Coriander (Cilantro)
- Mint
- Lime Wedges
- Fried Shallots Optional
- Long Red Red Chilli Sliced
Method
- Rinse the jasmine rice under cold water until mostly clear. Add to a pot with the water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, cover, reduce to low and cook for 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and rest covered until ready to serve.
- Add the carrot and cucumber to a bowl with the rice vinegar, sugar and salt. Mix well and set aside for 10-15 minutes to lightly pickle. Keep it crisp and fresh, not heavily acidic.
- Add the chicken thighs to a bowl with the fish sauce, brown sugar, oil, minced lemongrass and grated garlic. Massage well until evenly coated.
- Heat a pan over medium-high heat. Add the chicken smooth side down and cook without moving for 4-5 minutes until deeply golden. Flip and cook for a further 3-4 minutes until cooked through and reaching an internal temperature of 74°C (165°F). If the pan gets too dark, add a small splash of water to loosen the caramelised bits.
- Remove the chicken and rest for 2 minutes, then slice each thigh into 2-3 large pieces.
- Spoon rice onto plates, top with sliced lemongrass chicken and a generous mound of pickled carrot and cucumber. Finish with fresh coriander and mint, a squeeze of lime and optional fried shallots or chilli.
Why cook the chicken smooth side down without moving it?⌄
Leaving it undisturbed lets a proper crust develop before you flip it. Moving it around too early stops that caramelisation from forming and you end up with pale, patchy chicken instead.
Can I use chicken breast instead of thighs?⌄
Yes, though thigh holds up better to the hard sear and stays juicier. If using breast, reduce the cook time slightly and keep a close eye on it so it doesn't dry out.
What if I can't find fresh lemongrass?⌄
Lemongrass paste from a jar is a reasonable substitute, use about a tablespoon in place of the fresh stalk. The flavour will be slightly less bright, but still works well in the marinade.
Why only pickle the carrot and cucumber for 10-15 minutes?⌄
It's meant to stay crisp and lightly tangy rather than fully sour. A longer pickle would soften the vegetables and make the flavour much sharper than this dish is going for.
